Ganta, Nimba County – Liberia’s Inspector General of Police, Col. Gregory Coleman, has issued a stern warning to troublemakers ahead of Tuesday’s highly anticipated Nimba County senatorial by-election, declaring the force is ready to confront “miscreants and nitwits” seeking to disrupt the democratic process.
Speaking to reporters in the commercial hub of Ganta on Monday, Col. Coleman said the Liberia National Police (LNP), in collaboration with other joint security agencies, is fully prepared to ensure a peaceful, free, and fair election.
“No one should underestimate the capacity of the Police,” Coleman said. “Any attempt to derail the process will be met with the full force of the law. We are informed of some bunch of miscreants and nitwits who have nothing to do with this election. They’ve migrated here to cause problems by casting a cloud of violence over the county. We are aware of you, and we are prepared.”
Flanked by top-ranking police commissioners and a heavily armed contingent of the Police Support Unit (PSU), the Inspector General reassured voters that law enforcement remains apolitical and focused solely on protecting the democratic process.
“The presence of the Police here is not that of a warrior,” Coleman said. “It’s a guiding principle of democracy. I can guarantee you, with everything in me, we are here to protect this process, not to interfere.”
The April 22 by-election is being held to fill the seat left vacant by the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson, who died in November 2024 following a prolonged illness. Johnson, a polarizing figure, represented Nimba County in the Liberian Senate from 2006 until his death, making him the longest-serving lawmaker in Liberia’s post-war political history.
The campaign season, which lasted nearly a month, has been marred by inflammatory rhetoric, including tribal and anti-feminist undertones from some candidates. These tensions have fueled concerns over security and voter intimidation, prompting the police to increase visibility in key areas across the county.
Col. Coleman emphasized that the joint security apparatus has reviewed past election operations to improve their approach this time.
“Every time elections are held, we conduct an after-action review,” he explained. “We analyze our performance—what we did right and what went wrong—and we make corrections. This deployment is one of the best we’ve had, informed by our experiences across five election cycles.”
Voting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and end at 6 p.m., with only registered voters certified by the National Elections Commission (NEC) permitted to cast ballots.
Calling on the public to remain peaceful and law-abiding, Coleman encouraged residents to report any suspicious behavior, including misconduct by security officers.
“We want the people of Nimba to feel safe going to the polls,” he said. “Security is not only about presence, but also about partnership. We urge you to alert us if you notice anything unusual.”
Reacting to claims that the LNP serves the interests of the ruling establishment, the Police Chief dismissed such allegations as misguided.
“That’s a perception,” he said. “What defines us is the work we do. We’ve continuously impacted community life through impartial service and we’ll maintain that standard.”
He further cautioned election observers and political actors from outside the county to stay within the bounds of neutrality.
“This is not a national election,” he said. “It is a special election for the people of Nimba. Let them speak freely and peacefully through the ballot.”
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